Mad March Hare Quizzers Night 2017

16 teams hopped over to the Mad March Hare quiz at Swindon Town Football Club on 1st November and helped launch fund raising activities for the 2018 event. The fun quiz was lively and friendly and all quizzers also enjoyed a tasty ploughman’s supper. The evening was a great success and got the new year off to a great start, raising an impressive total of £722. The winning team, who beat fellow quizzers “Don’t Cry For Me Barcelona” in a tie breaker, was “Knobs and Knockers”!

This year, the quiz was attended by Stephanie Webb from Breast Cancer Now, who presented the Mad March Hare organising team with a special banner to celebrate the £100,000 raised for Breast Cancer Now by the event over its first decade. Stephanie said “The Mad March Hare team have worked tirelessly over the last decade to put on their annual event. This hard work and commitment has absolutely paid off since they reached an incredible £100,000 for our Breast Cancer Now’s research into breast cancer. It’s a true honour to have the support of this amazing team and we’re extremely thankful”.

Registration is now open for the 11th Mad March Hare event, which will take place on Sunday 25th March 2018, starting and finishing at Lydiard Park Academy. The 5km or 10km routes will take walkers, joggers and runners around a circular route of West Swindon and the popular Lydiard Park. To take part or volunteer at the event please log on to www.madmarchhare.org.uk, email at info@madmarchhare.org.uk or call 0845 6808064.

Get the New Year off the starting blocks

It’s the time of year when we see lots of happy posts of friends running the new half marathon in Swindon or maybe Bristol, Chippenham or Cricklade half marathons? Have you thought to yourself “I could never do that”?

Well, now is the time to start planning so you can achieve this too! The Mad March Hare is perfectly timed for getting the New Year off the starting blocks and the 5 and 10k routes are ideal to get that first ‘milestone’ under your belt on the journey to achieving a half marathon later in the year. It is a fun and friendly event which also raises funds for Breast Cancer Now. Fancy dress is not essential but don’t be surprised to see a wide array of characters and funky outfits hopping along the courses on the day!

The 2018 event will take place on Sunday 25th March, starting and finishing at Lydiard Park Academy in West Swindon. Registration opens on 1st November so why not set your half marathon goal now and bounce over to the website to register! For more information and online registration, visit www.madmarchhare.org.uk.

Fundraisers ran, walked and hobbled the distance for the 10th annual Mad March Hare event to raise money for the Breast Cancer Now Charity.

Report from the LINK

Many of the have-a-go participants threw themselves into the fun by dressing in pink or sporting an array of weird and wonderful fancy dress; others jogged along with their little ones in pushchairs or were tugged along by their four-legged friends.

The event, on Sunday, say hundreds of people take on the 5k or 10k routes around West Swindon and Lydiard Park starting and finishing at Lydiard Park Academy in Grange Park.

Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, created by the merger of Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

To donate or find out more about the charity log on to www.breastcancernow.org

Report at Total Swindon

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this popular annual event saw participants run, jog or walk either a 5km or 10km route through Lydiard Park, raising money for Breast Cancer Now Swindon and North Wilts.

Report from the Swindon Advertiser

ONE of Swindon’s most popular running events marked its 10 year anniversary in style on Sunday.

As the clocks went forward and the sun shone brightly, runners and walkers from across the town and beyond made their way to Lydiard Park Academy for the tenth annual Mad March Hare.

The event, which is put on each year in aid of Breast Cancer Now, has so far raised almost £100,000 and organisers hope that the fantastic turnout this year will be enough to see that milestone well and truly passed.

Kathy says that is very much intentional and all part of making the day so welcoming for those taking part.

“It’s a really nice, whacky, fun event. We don’t call it a race, there’s no chip timing or anything like that, it’s more to do with encouraging people to be outside and active whether that’s walking, running or jogging,” she said.

“We’re dog friendly too, they’re welcome and they get their own goody bags too.”

In what felt like just minutes since the last runner had left the start line, the first finishers returned.

Leading the men was Simon Jell, of Swindon Harriers, while crossing first for the ladies was Leah Baker.

Setting the standard for the youngsters was Reece Prouse-Edwards while the first four-legged finisher was boxer LuLu, accompanied by her humans Tamzin and Tegan Harris.

But that journey makes their annual trip around the course even more meaningful.

“We love doing it,” said Carol. “We’re here every year, we can’t run so we walk it.

“We always dress up too, everyone is so friendly all the way round the course.”

Also finishing in the middle of the pack were the cast of the Wizard of Oz.

The group met just over 18 months ago when they joined Swindon Shin Splints as rookie runners. Since then they’ve bonded and finished two half marathons, the latest just last week in Reading.

Decked out as characters including the tin man, the wicked witch and even Dorothy herself, the group were big hits with onlookers and fully lived up to their “run for fun and friendship” mantra.

10th Anniversary Officially a Great Success

A great success! British Summer Time got of to a fantastic start with the sun shining in all it’s glory on the runners and walkers at our 10th Anniversary event.

Elite runners, first timers, families and dog walkers made the event a huge success. With the amazing turn-out, committed fundraising and dedicated sponsorship we’re hoping to reach our cumulative total of £100,000.

Keep an eye on the website for future announcements about our fundraising.

Kathy, Eunice and I did our bit on the radio on Saturday

Team members Kathy Doyle, Margaret Nicholson and Eunice Salmon pictured here with Jonathan Fido at BBC Wiltshire Radio on Saturday 18th March. The team were given a good amount of air-time and it was a valuable opportunity to promote our event.

The team presented Jonathan with a Mad March Hare t-shirt as a thank you for his support.